Therapeutic table



June 9, 1953 A. Hl-:MMING 2,641,252

THERAPEUTIC TABLE Filed July 11, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 9, 1953 A. HEMMING THERAPEUTIC TABLE Filed July 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIO TABLE Albert Hemming, Ortonville, Mich.

Application July 11, 15%51, Serial No. 236,219

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in therapeutic devices and more particularly to a device of this character adapted to support a patient in supine position and to move the patient back and forth so as to produce a massaging effect.

1 An important object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic table that will massage the back of a patientlying thereon so as to have a beneficial eifect on the patient.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings forming a part of this specication and whe-rein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a therapeutic table embodying the invention and illustrating the mode of use of the table;

Fig'. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View 'taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the table showing parts broken away for clearness of illustration;

and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing a modified form of the invention.

Considered'in certain of its broader aspects the device embodying the present invention comprises a base support Ill having a horizontal, elongated upper panel or table I2 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement thereon and adapted to support a patient designated generally at I vin `supine position. A reciprocable lower panel or actuator I6 is mounted in the support II) below the table I2 for movement back and forth horizontally and in the same direction as the table, and the actuator has devices IS adapted to be removably fastened to the feet of the patient I4, as shown in Fig. 1. Handrails 26 are provided on the base support Ill at opposite sides of the table I2 and the rails are so positioned that they can be easily grasped by the patient I4 during operation of the device. The actuator I6 can be reciprocably driven in any desired manner, and it is contemplated that any number of wellknown mechanical linkages or movements can be employed for driving the actuator.

,More specifically, the base support Ill is generally boxlike in construction as shown in the drawings and it should be sufciently large to accommodate a grown person thereon. Legs 22 are provided at the corners of the support. The particular base support here shown has a top 24, and the table I2 is mounted to roll back and forth on the top. It will 'be observed that the table I2 covers substantially the entire top of the base support Ill and it is sufficiently large to easily accommodate a grown person. Preferably, the table I2 is covered by `a suitable pad 26 which supports the patient I4 in relative comfort. The pad may be either loose on the table or attached 2 thereto but it preferably is attached so that i't will not slide on the table during operation of the machine.

It is important that the table slide freely back and forth on the top 2li, and to this end the table is provided at the underside and adjacent opposite side edges thereof with rollers 28 which 'travel on wear plates 3G mounted on and suitably fastened to the top 2t. Also, the table I2 is provided with rollers 32 which extend laterally beyond the side edges of the table and travel on horizontal guides 34 fastened to the top 2d at opposite sides of the table.

The actuator IS here shown is in the form of an elongated board or panel. The panel extends into the 'base support Ill through one end thereof, as shown in Fig, l, and the portion of the panel within the support is confined and directed in its movement by suitable guides 35. The particular guides 35 here shown are substantially Z-shaped in transverse section (Fig. 3). One flange on each guide is fastened to the bottom 2li by bolts and the other flange thereof ex tends under the panel I6 to guide and support the same during longitudinal travel thereof. Wear plates ill] are fastened to the top of panel I6 by screws ft2, and these wear plates slide against the undersurface of the top 24 during reciprocation of the actuator panel It'. lThe panel I5 preferably fits relatively loosely in guides 35 so that itis freely reciprocable.

The device It may assume a variety of forms, depending upon the part of the patient to which it is adapted for attachment. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 4, the fastening device I3 is in the form of shoes dll, and the toes of the shoes preferably are cut away, as at llt, so that they can be adapted to persons having different foot sizes. Two shoes dat are provided and the soles of the shoes are fastened to hinges d3 which in turn are fastened to the actuator I6. If necessary or desirable, the projecting end of the actuator panel can be built up, as at 5t, to properly position the shoes .fill with respect to the table I2.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the fastening 'means it is adapted for attachnient tothe head of a person supported on the table I2 and it conveniently may taire the form of a football helmet t2. The helmet 52 is fastened to a hinge fait and the latter is fastened to the vertical spacers 5t on actuator it in the same manner as the hinges 48.

The particular means here shown for reciprocally actuating the-table I 2 comprises a motor 56 which drives a speed reducer 58 having an output shaft 50. A sprocket 62 on shaft @il is connected to a sprocket 6ft on a shaft 5t by an endless chain 68. Shaft t6 extends transversely across the base support lll and the ends thereof are journaled in suitable bearings 'lll and l2. Sprockets 14 on and adjacent the ends of shaft G6 are connected to sprockets 'I6 on and adjacent the ends of a second shaft 18. The latter shaft extends transversely across the base support IU parallel to shaft 66 and the ends thereof are journaled in suitable bearings 80 and 82. Shaft 18 is provided with two cranks or throws 84 and 85 which are identically formed and positioned in the shaft. Pusher bars 88 and 90 are journaled at one end to the throws 84 and 86v respectively, and the other ends of the bars are fastened to the underside of the actuator panel I6 by hinges 92,

In operation, energization of the motor 56 ro tatably drives the shaft 18 at a reduced speed, and the shaft acts through the pusher barsv 88 and 90 to reciprocate the actuator panel I6 Aa predetermined distance. The distance panel actuator I6 is moved back. and forth, may vary over a relatively wide range, and a typical distance is illustrated by iull and broken lines inFig. 4. Also, the speed at which the actuator I6 is driven may vary considerably. Nineteen complete reciprocations per minute are preferred asl it produ-ces the desired massaging eiect without particular discomfort to the patient. Operation of the motor 56 prefn erably is controlled by a switch 94 located on one side of the base support ID andadjacent the top substantially midway between the ends thereof so as to be readily accessible to the patient, as shown in Fig. l..

The handrails 20 may kie-supported in any suitable or convenient manner as by the mounting brackets Q6. Also, the handrails 20 can be made from any suitable or convenient. material. Metal rails are preferred, as they are smooth and are ist likely to hurt or dama-ge the hands of the patient. It will be noted in this connection that the patient grasps the handrails 2 suiciently loosely so that his hands slide back and forth on the rails during reciprocation of the table I2. In this manner he can, to some degree, control the effect produced by the machine.

in operation, the patient lies supi-ne with his back against the table l2, as sho-wn in Fig.` 1, and either the feet or head oi' the patient is attached to the fastening device I8-, depending upon whether the machine is equippedk as shown in Fig. l or as shown in Either the patient or some other person attending the ana-chine closes 'the switch 9d 'to energize motor 56, vand the latter then reciprocates the actuator |16 through the interconnecting` speed-reducing and motiontransmitting mechanisms. As the actuator I6 operates, it moves the patient backend forth, and the latter, by reason of his weight and frictionai. engagement with the table I, causes the latter to reciprocate with the actuator. It will be readily apparent, however, that there is some resistance to movement of the table, depending primarily upon the antiiriction characteristics of the rollers 23 and 32 and upon the inertia` characteristics of the table which in turn depend somewhat upon. its size and weight and upon the relation of these factors to the weight. or". the patient. None ofV these factors, however', alter the massaging effect produced by the machine. As the patient moves baci; and forth supported by the pad 26 the patients back is massaged and the totaleflect of the motion promotes` circulation of lymphatic uids in the body.

Having thus described the invention,v1.claim:

1. therapeutic device comprising a. base'support, a horizontal table mounted for free sliding movement on the support and adapted to carry a patient in supine position thereon, a, reciprocable actuator parallel.. to andlbelow saidtable.

4 adapted for attachment at a point spaced longtudinally from one end of; the table to a part of a patientu supported on said table, and means for reciprocally driving said actuator.

2. A therapeutic device comprising a base support,I a. horizontal table mounted for free sliding movement on the support and adapted to carry a patient insupine position thereon, a reciprocable actuator parallel to and below and projecting longitudinally beyond one end of said table, means for releasably fastening a part of the patient to the projecting portion of said actuator when the patient is lying supine on the table.

3-.r A therapeutic. device comprising a, base support, a horizontal tabley mounted for. free sliding movement on the support and adapted to carry a patient in supine position thereon, a reciprocableactuator parallel to and below said table, said actuator having. an end portion projecting beyond one end of said table and the projecting end portion of said actuator being adapted for attachment to a part of a patient supported on said table, means for reciprocally driving said actuator, and handrailson the support at opposite sides of the table positioned to `be grasped by the patient during reciproca-tien of the table.

4. A therapeutic device comprising a base sup.- port, `a horizontal table mounted for free sliding movement on the supporty and adapted to carry a patient in supine position thereon, a reciprocable actuator parallel to andi below and projecting longitudinally beyond said table, means for releasably fastening a part of the patient to the projecting portion of said actuator when the patient is lying supine on the table whereby reciprocation of the actuator acts through said patient to reciprocate said table, and handrails on the support at opposite sides of the table positicned to be grasped by the patient during reciprocation of the table.

5. A therapeutic device comprising a base support,4 upper and lower panels carried by the support, said upper panel being mounted for es.- sentially free reciprocatory movement on the base support and adapted to support a patient` in supine position thereon; means for attaching a part of the patient',V to said lower panell while the patient is lying supine on said upper panel; a drive mechanism connected to the lower panel for imparting ba'ck-and-fcrth movement thereto at a predetermined frequency.

6. A therapeutic. device comprising. a base support, upper andlower panels carried by the support, said upper panel being mounted for essentially free reciprocatory movement on the base support and adapted' to support a patient in supine position thereon; means for attaching av part of the patient to said lower panel while thel patient is lying supine on saidY upper panel; a drive mechanism connected to the lower panel for imparting iaaclr-and-forth movement thereto at a predetermined frequency; and handrails disposedA on said. base support at opposite sides of said'upper panel positioned to be grasped by the patient dur-ing cperationv of the device.

ALBERT HEMMING.

References. Cited in the le' of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date' 910,838 Wilson Jan. 26 .1909 1,110,920 Gibson sept. 15.1914v 1,795,2461` Brown Mar. 3,1931 2,243,013 Morey May. 20,'.194'1 

